DNA origami: Fold, stick, and beyond

DNA origami is the process in which long single-stranded DNA molecules are folded into arbitrary planar nanostructures with the aid of many short staple strands. Since its initial introduction in 2006, DNA origami has dramatically widened the scope of applications of DNA nanotechnology based on the programmed assembly of branched DNA junctions. DNA origami can be used to construct not only arbitrary two-dimensional nanostructures but also nano-sized breadboards for the arraying of nanomaterials or even complicated three-dimensional nano-objects. In this review, we briefly look through the basic designs and applications of DNA origami and discuss the future of this technique.